Southwest Airlines is adding to its Texas presence by creating a crew base and training facility at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, with the state and city offering millions in incentives.
The Dallas-based airline, Austin’s largest carrier, plans to invest $8.4 million in airport improvements and create more than 2,000 jobs for pilots and flight attendants based at Austin’s airport. In exchange for the planned investment, the Texas Enterprise Fund said it would offer $14 million, with a special incentive of up to $375,000 to fill those jobs with military veterans.
This week, the city of Austin also offered $5.5 million to Southwest Airlines in incentives based on promised financial performance over a five-year period. The new crew base is slated to open in March, positioning the airline for growth in the region, officials said.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to Austin,” Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement.
The new base is intended to serve captains, first officers and flight attendants, with new base leadership and supporting staff, the company said. The airline said it planned to also add a training facility for flight attendants as “part of its ongoing business transformation.”
Next March, Southwest Airlines is adding two direct destinations from Austin — to Fort Myers, Florida, and Palm Springs, California — bringing its total nonstop destinations to 53. The new base is set to open in March, beginning with about 335 pilots and 650 flight attendants.
By 2027, the base is projected to house about 2,000 workers.